Alihankinta and FMWM bring €30m boost and Mighty Machines momentum to Pirkanmaa

According to ePressi, Tampereen Messut says Alihankinta draws nearly 30,000 industry professionals to the Tampere Exhibition and Sports Centre each year and is estimated to generate about €30 million annually for the Pirkanmaa region. The Future Mobile Work Machine event in May 2027 is set to support the national Mighty Machines growth strategy. Alihankinta has been a backbone for Finnish manufacturing networking for decades and will mark its 40th anniversary in two years. Tampereen Messut cited a Taloustutkimus study showing the Exhibition and Sports Centre’s total revenue impact for the Tampere region reached €119 million in 2025, supporting roughly 1,625 person-years of employment. The fair’s value comes not just from on-site meetings but from follow-up orders, partnerships and sustained business activity after the event days. According to ePressi, Alihankinta 2026 will focus on growth and internationalisation, with programming built around themes such as competitiveness, export prospects and financing for scaling up, as well as workforce availability and the role of automation, AI and machine learning in modern production. ePressi adds that the event aims to help participants identify new opportunities by combining business matchmaking with expert sessions. ePressi reports that projects require more than existing relationships: “International growth requires new networks, investment and better leveraging of technology,” said Sami Siurola, Project Manager at Alihankinta. He highlighted that firms looking to expand need both partnerships and practical tools to apply new technologies. Alihankinta next runs 29 September–1 October 2026 at the Tampere Exhibition and Sports Centre. ePressi notes that the fair will open on 29 September at 11:00 and that the programme includes awards for Supplier of the Year and Main Contractor of the Year, recognising companies that have strengthened cooperation across the supply chain. According to ePressi, the keynote programme features Economic Affairs Minister Sakari Puisto, who will deliver his keynote on 30 September, and a panel session with Business Finland. The programme also includes remarks by Foreign Trade and Development Minister Ville Tavio on 1 October, where the discussion will cover competitiveness and the future of exports. Future Mobile Work Machine, on 12–13 May 2027 in Tampere, is intended as a practical vehicle for implementing the 2025 Mighty Machines national growth plan. Organized with the SIX Mobile Work Machines cluster, the event aims to showcase Finnish expertise to international audiences and tighten links between companies and research institutions. The mobile work machines sector already represents a major industrial field in Finland, with about €19 billion in annual turnover, roughly 45,000 employees and around 10 percent of the country’s exports. The Mighty Machines strategy seeks to triple turnover by 2035 and foresees creating up to 45,000 new jobs, focusing growth on specialized, intelligent and data-driven machines, sustainable solutions and new business models. "Finland has a strong position as a developer and manufacturer of mobile work machines, including key technologies and services, but global competition is intensifying," said Jouni Törnqvist, Director, Digital Solutions & Services at Bronto Skylift. He said cross-border cooperation with domestic and international companies, researchers and experts will be critical for the sector’s next growth phase. Technology priorities highlighted for the strategy include physical artificial intelligence, data use in machine applications, electrification and digitalization, and attracting startups and skilled people is seen as essential to reaching the goals. ePressi also cites attendee research for Alihankinta 2026: 93% of visitors say they meet existing suppliers at the fair, 81% follow market and technology trends there, and 79% are looking for new products or services. This underscores the event’s role as both a relationship hub and a channel for discovering fresh growth opportunities. This coverage follows the return of Konepaja and related exhibitions in early 2026 and sits alongside other large fairs such as EuroSafety, which drew more than 11,000 visitors to Tampere, underlining the Exhibition and Sports Centre’s role in the region’s event economy.